The present invention relates in general to various articles such as glassware, ceramicware and/or hollowware which is edge decorated with noble metals.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of decorating the edge, i.e. , the lip or rim, of various articles with a hot stamping foil of a noble metal and the resulting decorated articles made therefrom.
In the article decorating industry, there exists the desire to apply a suitable material in various predetermined patterns to an article for decorative or other purposes. One of the important commercial applications today is in the decorating of the edge, i.e., the lip or rim, of an article which generally has a cylindrical configuration. The term xe2x80x9carticlexe2x80x9d as used herein is intended to cover such articles generally within the category of glassware, hollowware and/or ceramicware. More specifically, these articles include glasses, plates, cups, dishes, bottles, or other such articles having an edge, i.e., a lip or rim, which is intended to be decorated. The articles may be formed from a variety of materials, for example, glass and ceramic, although plastic articles are known to be decorated as well.
The prior decoration of glass and ceramic articles typically used lead based inks or frits to achieve a raised or flat decorative effect. In the case of a raised effect, a lead based flux is first applied to the underlying article such as by roller or screen printing, and subsequently fired at high temperature. A decorative layer, such as gold ink, is subsequently applied in a similar manner over the fired flux, once again being fired at high temperature to form a decorative gold layer. Where a flat non-raised decorative effect is desired, the lead based flux layer is generally eliminated. However, the gold ink used also included a quantity of lead to enable adhesion of the gold ink to the article such as glass or ceramic material. In either case, both processes require the presence of lead, as well as potentially other toxic metals such as cadmium. During use of the article, it is known that the lead or other heavy metals are susceptible of leaching out of the decorative coating, thereby contaminating the contained materials, such as food products and the like. As a result of the health hazards created from the use of lead, lead containing inks have been considered undesirable for use on glassware, ceramicware and/or hollowware, particularly where food products are involved.
Hot stamping foils have been known for use in decorating various objects over generally planar surfaces. Hot stamping foil is generally a laminate comprised of a carrier material (often polyester or a similar material capable of release), a release film between the carrier and a subsequent decorative coat which is usually a color or a metallized coat, for example, a noble metal such as silver, gold, palladium or platinum. Aluminum metallized coatings are also used in hot stamping foils. The foil may contain other optional layers, such as one or more protective layers, hot melt adhesive layers, etc., between the metallized layer or layers and the carrier material. More specifically, hot stamping foils can be defined as a multilayer web comprised of a backing film, carrier, a release coating, one or more protective top coatings, one or more color coatings and a hot melt adhesive, in that order.
The hot stamping foil is compressed against the article with the hot melt adhesive layer being compressed against the article substrate. In general, hot stamping foils will not adhere directly to a glass or ceramic substrate. To this end, it is known to first apply by a variety of methods such as silk screening, printing, etc., an adhesive ink at those locations where it is desired to apply the hot stamping foil The adhesive ink is cured, for example, by use of radiation, such as ultraviolet radiation, prior to the hot stamping process. A press, which may be a standard hot stamping press, or a hand held press, is heated to a temperature sufficient to cause the hot melt adhesive layer of the hot stamping foil to adhere to the adhesive ink on the article to be foiled. The application of heat causes the adhesive side of the hot stamping foil to become adhesively adhered to the cured adhesive ink, but not to the ink free areas of the article.
Notwithstanding the existence of known hot stamping foils and methods of application, there has heretofore been unknown the use of such foils in decorating other than generally planar surfaces of articles such as glassware, ceramicware and hollowware. There therefore remains a need for a method for decorating the edge, i.e., the lip or rim, of various articles such as glassware, ceramicware and hollowware with a hot stamping foil which eliminates the use of inks containing heavy metals such as lead and the like, as well as the resulting decorated articles made therefrom.
One object of the present invention is to provide an article such as glassware, ceramicware or hollowware having an edge decorated with a hot stamping foil.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article having an edge decorated with a hot stamping foil of a noble metal which avoids the use of previously known inks containing lead and/or other heavy metals.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for decorating articles such as glassware, ceramicware or hollowware having an edge decorated with a hot stamping foil, including the use of a radiation curable adhesive ink.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an article includes an edge decorated with a hot stamping foil. The article is in the nature of a body having an exposed edge formed between an inner surface and an outer surface. A radiation cured adhesive ink is adhered to at least a portion of the edge, and a hot stamping foil is adhered to the ink overlying at least a portion of the edge.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is described an article of polymer material includes a body having an exposed edge formed between an inner surface and an outer surface. A hot stamping foil is adhered to at least a portion of said edge by application of heat and pressure thereto using a die of polymer material having a hardness in the range of about 50 to about 80 durometer.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an article includes an edge decorated with a hot stamping foil. The article is in the nature of a body having an exposed edge formed between an inner surface and an outer surface. A radiation curable adhesive ink is applied to at least a portion of the edge, with the adhesive ink adhered to the edge by being exposed to radiation operative for curing the ink. A hot stamping foil is applied to the radiation cured adhesive ink overlying at least a portion of the edge. The hot stamping foil is adhered to the radiation cured adhesive ink by pressing the foil against the edge with a die heated to a temperature sufficient to cause the foil to adhere thereto.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is described a method for decorating an exposed edge of an article formed between an inner and outer surface of the article with a hot stamping foil. The method includes applying a radiation curable adhesive ink to at least a portion of the edge, the adhesive ink being operable when cured to bond to the edge of the article. The adhesive ink is cured by exposing the ink to radiation operative to curing the ink, thereby bonding the ink to the edge of the article. A sheet of hot stamping foil is pressed against the edge of the article with a die at a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the foil to adhere to the cured adhesive ink.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is described a method of decorating an exposed edge of a glass or ceramic article formed between an inner and outer surface of the article with a hot stamping foil. The method includes applying an ultraviolet curable adhesive ink to at least a portion of the edge, the adhesive ink being operable when cured to bond to the edge of the article. The adhesive ink is cured by exposing the ink to ultraviolet radiation operative for curing the ink thereby bonding the ink to the edge of the article. A sheet of hot stamping foil is pressed against the edge of the article with a die, the hot stamping foil including a layer of material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, aluminum, palladium and platinum. The die is formed of polymer material having a hardness in the range of about 50-80 durometer. The die is heated to a temperature sufficient to cause a portion of the foil to adhere to the cured adhesive ink.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is described an article having an edge decorated with a hot stamping foil. The article includes a body of glass or ceramic having an exposed edge formed between an inner surface and an outer surface. An ultraviolet curable adhesive ink is applied to at least a portion of the edge, the adhesive ink adhering to the edge by being exposed to ultraviolet radiation operative for curing the ink. A hot stamping foil is applied to the radiation cured adhesive ink overlying at least a portion of the edge, the hot stamping foil including a layer of material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, aluminum, palladium and platinum. The hot stamping foil adhered to the radiation cured adhesive ink by pressing the foil against the edge with a die heated to a temperature sufficient to cause the foil to adhere thereto. The die is formed of polymer material having a hardness in the range of about 50-80 durometer.